Is it not advisable to separate a lengthy domain name into two segments, either with a hyphen or without? Should we use "podarkiastana" or "podarki-astana" as an example?
In Google, similar discussions can be found, but the audience here is considerably more educated. We're having a discussion among practitioners, the big "S" Specialists...
The choice between a hyphenated domain ("podarki-astana") and a non-hyphenated domain ("podarkiastana") is largely a matter of personal preference and depend on your business and marketing needs.
Both types of domains come with their pros and cons:
Hyphenated Domain Names (podarki-astana):
Pros:
Hyphens can make long compound words easier to read. The hyphen helps separate and highlight the distinct parts of the name—perfect if you're looking to use two words that are very important for your brand or SEO.
Hyphenated domains might be more available than non-hyphenated ones, especially for common or popular terms.
Cons:
Some people can forget or mistype the hyphen when entering your domain name, which might lead them to a different site or an error page.
Hyphenated domains might be perceived as less authoritative or trustworthy by some users.
Excessive use of hyphens (more than one or two) can look spammy and may actually harm your site's SEO performance.
Non-Hyphenated Domain Names (podarkiastana):
Pros:
A non-hyphenated domain is often easier to type in and remember.
These types of domains can look cleaner, simpler, and more professional.
They may be perceived as more authoritative and trustworthy by users.
Cons:
It can be harder to read and comprehend if the words used are not immediately recognizable or if there are multiple words mashed together.
In terms of SEO:
Google's algorithms do a pretty good job of parsing words in a domain name even without hyphens, though using hyphens could slightly improve the readability of the domain for both humans and bots.
However, there's a historic concern due to many hyphenated domains in the past being associated with spammy sites. This association can still remain in some areas and can indirectly impact website performance due to user perception.
No concrete evidence or definitive statement from Google suggests that using a hyphen would hurt or boost your rankings. Most of the impact is indirect, like user behavior affected by the presentation of the domain name.
Some further tips when choosing a domain name:
Make it brandable: Domain names that are unique, memorable, short, and easy to pronounce are often the best choices.
Keep your audience in mind: Think about who will be typing in or remembering your domain name. If your audience isn't as familiar with your language or if your domain name includes non-English words, make sure it is nevertheless clear and doesn't create unintended words or messages.
Consider alternatives: A .com domain is often considered the most valuable, but it can be hard to find an available .com that suits your needs. Many successful sites use alternative top-level domains, so don't be afraid to consider those.
Still, there are several additional considerations that can influence your decision to use a hyphenated or non-hyphenated domain name. Let's discuss each one further:
User experience (UX): A lot of SEO today is about creating a positive user experience. Although it won't directly affect your SEO, a domain name that's easily understood and remembered by your users can improve their overall experience. Something as minor as forgetting to include a hyphen can lead to a user not being able to find your website, which can negatively affect UX and your site's reputation.
Social Media & Marketing: If you're planning on using social media and other online platforms for marketing, you need to consider how your domain name would appear there. Hyphens are typically not used in social media handles and using different names across your website and social platforms can be confusing and off-brand.
Country & Language Considerations: If you are targeting a specific country, region, or language group, consider norms and practices there. For example, in German-speaking countries, compound words are common and understood, but these long compound terms might seem confusing in non-German-speaking countries. Taking into account language and cultural aspects is essential.
Domain Extension: It's also essential to consider the domain extension. For instance, the .com extension is the most popular and generally preferred for international businesses. Still, for a business focused solely on Astana or Kazakhstan, using the local .kz extension might suit better.
Branding and Reputation Management: A critical aspect of your domain name is its potential impact on your brand. The choice you make can say a lot about your business and its value proposition. Hyphenated names can sometimes look less professional or trustworthy, but if it significantly improves readability or availability, the trade-off might be worth it.
Remember, SEO success is not solely tied to one defining factor such as a domain name. The content on your site, your social media activity, the overall structure and user experience of your website, and how often your site is updated all contribute to your SEO ranking. Alongside this, backlinks from other high-authority websites, mobile optimization, and site security are significant factors.
Lastly, I'd emphasize continuously monitoring SEO performance. SEO isn't a "set it and forget it" task that stops once your website is live. Regularly checking analytics and making required adjustments is key for maintaining and improving your web presence. Whether you opt for "podarkiastana" or "podarki-astana", track how your users interact with your site, take feedback, and make improvements to keep providing value to your visitors.
Here is my perspective on this:
1) Individuals have varying perceptions when it comes to writing an address, some preferring to include a hyphen while others opt to exclude it.
2) From a visual standpoint, addresses with a hyphen are often perceived more favorably. However, it is more convenient to copy addresses without a hyphen.
3) Unexpectedly, you might experience success with your website, only to have someone deviously register a similar domain name, either with or without a hyphen, thus diverting and capturing a portion of your audience.
It is advisable to secure both versions of the domain - one with a hyphen and one without. Promote your website without the hyphen, while implementing a redirect from the hyphenated version to the non-hyphenated one. This way, you can cover both possibilities and ensure that your audience reaches your website regardless of their preferred address format.
Creating a brand from nothing is significantly harder than building a website with a relevant domain. If you have the resources to invest in marketing and promotion, it would be wise to consider constructing a website using numerical characters. However, it is undeniably simpler to market and sell a service or product when you possess a domain such as gift.net.